HOMEWARD BOUND!!!!!

Family

And a good evening to you from across the Pond on a FRIGID Thursday in the Mother Country. I've heard tales that it's freezing in Charlotte as well, so I guess this is good practice. All the same, it was almost impossible to WALK outside this evening on the way home. In fact, the wind was so strong that it actually blew my cane around and almost kept me from using it!

Let me say for the record that WE CANNOT WAIT TO GET HOME AND SEE OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AGAIN. The goal is that I'll be able to continue the daily blog (including pictures) with the exception of the trip to the Great White North (that would be Ottawa), where I'll be restricted to using my company (and hence no admin rights) laptop. Oh well, I promise to add them all back in upon my return to the UK and the friendly confines of Flat 303.

So the good news is that we are all packed (with just 1 bag and 1 carry-on each - when is Gatwick gonna drop that stupid rule?) thanks to my perfect pumpkin. JT was an ANIMAL while I was at work tonight, and I came home to the most surgical packing job I've seen since my mom and dad managed to fit all 3 of us, 3 weeks of luggage, an inflatable raft, all my toys, and 3 weeks worth of clothes into the back of that trailer attached to the F-150 (Ranger Rowdy, looking for A/C hookups under $14 a night, putt-putt at Cherry Hill campground, and sleeping on that raft - talk about some AMAZING memories). But that's another story for another time. Let's just say that I am who I am because of 4 trips across our great nation - I'll let your imaginations fill in the details.

I did get a bit nostalgic on the walk home, stopping every so often to look at all the lights and trees scattered throughout my walk home. It's so hard to believe that half of the assignment is already over - it has flown and been six of the most magical months of my life. And with the knowledge that I only have 1 Christmas experience in London, I wanted to make this last walk count.

I started with the massive tree in the Bank of America building lobby and finished with the lights of Oxford Street, shivering as wind whipped snow all around me yet thrilled that I was privileged enough to stand there and see it (and to have called those lights "the lights at my Tube stop" for the past month). In between, I was constantly reminded of why this city is so great, and why the quote "When a man is tired of London, a man is tired of life" rings true. Christmas in London is truly magical, and the memories of the lights and decorations will stay with me forever.

Okay, time for me to brush my teeth and hit the sack - the cab comes in 8 hours!

That's all the news that's fit to print. Chat tomorrow - when we're STATESIDE!!!!!!!

Love,

(A very, VERY excited) Sam and Jenny